Forever an Agent
by Jyxxie
Summary: McGee has been hiding a secret for a very, very long time. He is killed in the field, but when he comes back.. he has to explain.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I don't own NCIS or any of its characters.**  
**

* * *

_Immortality. What if one were to possess it? Would it be considered a gift or a curse? This has been the topic of discussion for so many since the beginning of time._

"Hey, McSpacy!"

McGee looks up, blinking back into the here and now. "Uh, wh-what? What Tony?"

"I asked what you thought about being immortal."

"Oh.. well, I think it's a curse. I mean.. you watch your family die, and everyone around you, and you just.. keep on going," he says, his voice and face looking like he's really, really thought on this.

Ziva picks up on this, but before she can speak, Tony speaks again. "Curse? Nah. Besides, think of how many lives you could leave. How much you could _learn_. Or earn. Man, can you imagine having a treasure trove of stuff from a thousand years ago? I'd be _rich_. So many cars.. I could own my own theater."

"Yeah, you would think of yourself," McGee snaps, his tone more harsh than usual. "Those kinds of things belong in a _museum_, not an auction."

"Whoa whoa, calm down, McGee. Don't tell me you wouldn't want a little piece of the money."

"Don't need it. Money can't buy happiness."

"But you sure like the money from your books, dontcha?"

"I earned it." He groans and tries to get to work at his computer screen, but-

"You did not! You changed names and wrote about us! You didn't have to come up with anythi-gunhh. Uh, hey Boss."

"McGee earned it. He got inspiration from us, but it's his book."

McGee's face brightens at this rare praise from Gibbs, and his face gains a grin. He goes back to work, typing a little note to himself about the look on Tony's face-not that he would forget it.

Gibbs had just sat down when the phone rings. After finishing the call, he stands up, grabbing his things. "Dead marine, let's go."

"Where at, Boss?" Tony asks as he gathers his stuff in record-time, Ziva in second and McGee in third.

Of course, he doesn't get an answer, just Gibbs getting into the elevator and waiting.

At the crime scene, McGee walks over to interview the man who claimed to have come across the body, a dead female marine with a single gunshot wound to the brain, straight up from the back of the neck. He speaks with the man, who seems to be a little nervous-who wouldn't, finding a dead body?-but McGee has a suspicion nagging at the back of his mind about the man. Shane Laturo, he said his name is. Early 30s, black hair back in a ponytail, slim build.

While McGee is talking with the man, Tony photographs the crime scene, noting how the pool of blood isn't where it should be; the victim seems to have been moved. He picks up on a faint blood smear on her face.

Ziva is bagging and tagging with Tony's help, and directs Tony's attention to a black hair. "Here, Tony." After he photographs it, she carefully picks it up and bags it for Abby.

Gibbs is speaking with Ducky, who tends to the body as Tony and Ziva finish noting all the marks, imperfections. They had time, really, since Ducky was a bit late arriving. Partially Palmer's fault this time, since he couldn't drive well due to a sprained wrist. His excuse was a fall, which most believed, since nobody witnessed what happened.

"She died about two hours ago," Ducky announces to Gibbs as he removes the liver thermometer. "By what appears to be a bullet to the back of the neck, but you know I don't like to speculate until everything is confirmed."

"Right, right. Anything else y'got for me, Duck?" Gibbs looks around at the area; a secluded part of the park, where foul play could easily be committed and never seen.

"I'm afraid not. At least not yet. Ah-Mr. Palmer, please be a bit more careful," Ducky scolds, as Jimmy drops a medical instrument from his injured left hand.

"Sorry Dr. Mallard, I uh-I used the wrong hand.."

Gibbs turns from the scene that's mildly annoying and checks in with Tony, who relays everything they've found, Ziva arriving to confirm just as Tony's nearly done. A second later, McGee immediately shouts out-before Gibbs' trained ears pick up the sound of a silencer, firing three shots. He whips around, hand ripping out his gun as he runs toward the sound, watching McGee slump and fall to the ground.

* * *

_Everything seems to go by so fast.. and yet, at the same time, so slow. He noticed the witness was carrying something similar to a gun at his belt, mostly concealed-save a wrong move while chatting nonchalantly. McGee reaches for his gun.. but in a quick flash, he feels three bullets sink into him. Stomach, stomach.. chest. The pain begins almost immediately, and he hears voices calling out his name. He knows the voices, but he doesn't. They're rolling him onto his back.. he fell? Onto his side? Or his front?_

_Oh, man. This is worse than you'd think, you know? Well, he knew. This isn't his first bullet. It's his first from a modern gun, any way. His first in.. how many years? He realizes, as these thoughts run through his head, they're rambling. He's losing it. He tries to focus; he sees, through fading vision, Gibbs, Palmer and Ziva tending to him; he hears an echoing Ducky from somewhere behind him, yelling. Traffic, did he say?_

_Was it traffic..?_

* * *

Ziva, Tony, Palmer, Gibbs are all waiting for Ducky. But it's taking so long. Fifteen minutes seems to last fifteen hours, especially with the downcast look on Jimmy's face and the very, very worried look on Gibbs'.

"Duck! Duck, what? Is he okay?" As soon as Ducky walks into view, Gibbs jumps up in a panic-scaring the others.

Ducky looks up at Gibbs, taking in a deep breath before it releases in a ragged exhale. "I.. truly, am sorry, Jethro. We weren't fast enough."

Gibbs stares at Ducky's eyes, seeing the horrid truth, the pain of loss. For a minute, he thinks his mind is playing tricks on him; but when he looks back at the team, the expression of panicked horror clear on his face-the reactions of the others snaps him back to reality.

McGee is gone.


	2. Chapter 2

Ziva was outside the hospital, repeatedly throwing her knife into the tree with such force, she had trouble getting it out. People nearby were terrified, and security threatened her until she flashed her badge-and her tear-soaked cheeks, knife glinting in tensed hand.

Tony is sitting in one of the chairs in the waiting room, toying with his gun. He took the magazine out, so even if he fires, nothing happens. Still, nobody is near him.

Palmer is with Ducky, trying futilely to calm him, before finally shutting up and leaving him be.

Gibbs is outside, standing near a tree [not near Ziva], leaning against it and thinking. His eyes are closed, hand is over them; his body is shaking with silent sobs. {Stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid. You could have done something different. Anything. _Anything...}_

* * *

"He's.. here, Duck?" Gibbs is back at NCIS with everyone else; but Gibbs is at the entrance to autopsy, where Ducky had sensed his arrival and stopped him from entering.

"Yes, Jethro, he is. I am going to do the minimum on him. Just enough to.. to get the bullets for Abby." He lets out a shaky breath. "Are.. you sure you want to see him?"

"Yes," Gibbs answers, no hesitation. "I have to see him.. even like this."

"Would you rather.. wait until the funeral? He would look-"

"No, Duck." Gibbs' red eyes begin to glisten again. "Let me in."

Ducky sighs and lets his friend into the room.

McGee is laying on the clean, cold table, eyes closed, skin devoid of color, life. He wasn't even blessed to have a peaceful expression on his face in death; even now, he looks as though he left with worried, unspoken thoughts.

Gibbs stares down at McGee and reaches a hand up, hesitantly, reaching out to his agent-before pulling it back. He reaches out again, the hand coming to rest on McGee's forehead. Many things that Gibbs would say run through his mind. He's not in the habit of talking to the dead, as is his good friend; but he needs to tell McGee. "I.." He hesitates, then smiles a little. "That's a good job, McGee." He looks at the man, just a boy to him; gives a gentle stroke to the messy hair. "I'm sorry.. we weren't fast enough."

With a wistful smile still on his face, Gibbs turns and leaves autopsy, the tears creeping their way back. But, though Gibbs has lost another family member, he knows McGee won't ever really be gone.

Boy, if he only knew.

* * *

"Here are the bullets, Abby." Ducky holds up the bottle containing the three bullets he pulled from McGee's middle. He gazes into her face, his own sympathetic.

Abby takes them without a word, sitting them on the desk before going back into her office, which is dark, lit only by candles placed carefully around a photo, creating a small altar. To the memory of McGee.

She doesn't sign the evidence transfer paper. She doesn't make a sound. She doesn't look at Ducky. She doesn't show any emotion at all; her face is dry and there is no sign of crying. She kneels in front of the altar, easing herself into a cross-legged sitting position. She closes her eyes and remains there, silent.

Ducky watches this and sighs, setting down the chain of evidence paper. He walks to the doorway of the office, stopping in the frame. "Abigail.. I am sorry. He was very dear to all of us, especially you."

Abby looks up at Ducky, eyes asking a question with no words spoken.

"I could see it. You loved him." At the shock in Abby's eyes, he continued. "We all loved him.. but not as you did, my dear. I am so sorry for your loss."

Abby stands up and walks over to Ducky, putting her arms around him and burying her face into him to cry. Barely a whisper, she manages; "You knew?"

Ducky puts his arms around Abby, comforting her in a gentle, but firm hug they're both desperately in need of. "Though I am very good at profiling people, I didn't need that skill to see the love in you. He knew it, you know. I could see it in his eyes, his movement. He wanted to tell you, but he always.. held back. As if.. he were afraid."

Her tears flow more freely at this, and she squeezes him tightly. "Oh, Ducky, Ducky.. he tried asking me out, a long time ago, and I didn't accept.. he must have been afraid I would say no again..! Ducky.. what will I do without him.."

"We will go on, my dear. We will hold him in our hearts, and we will go on." He rubs her back soothingly, and she nods.

"For Timmy."


	3. Chapter 3

"Gone?"

"Yes, Jethro. McGee's body is missing." Ducky looks at his friend, who had come down to autopsy at Ducky's call.

"How? How long were you gone from autopsy?"

"I was with Abby for half an hour, at the most. She needed much consoling.. as did myself." He looks around. "When I returned, McGee was nowhere to be found. The sheet that was on him.. is laying on the floor, crumpled in a heap.

"Who could have taken him?" He flips open his phone to call Tony, tell him to gather everyone; autopsy is now a crime scene.

"Did you touch anything since McGee's gone missing?"

"No, nothing. I called you immediately." Ducky frowns. "Shall.. shall I call Abby down? Perhaps she could help."

"No, Duck.. I saw her on the videophone. Wait for Tony and Ziva to finish; when they are done, we'll call her. She needs a break, for the moment." Gibbs sighs raggedly. First his son was.. Son? The thought came into his mind as if it were Kelly he was thinking of. First his _agent_ was murdered, then his body was stolen right from NCIS headquarters.

"Jethro.. go sit down. I'll call you in if anything is found. You need to-"

"What I _need_ is to find out who did this! I _need_ to protect my family!" he yells, voice relaying his rage. "Call me! If they find anything." Gibbs turns and storms out of autopsy, heading to leave the building and head for McGee's apartment.

Ducky sighs and shakes his head. "You've lost too much, my friend," he says sadly.

* * *

While driving to McGee's apartment, Gibbs' phone rings. All it is, is an update to say that the others had found fingerprints on a hanger which had a spare set of scrubs, and footprints leading out of the room. Not shoes.. feet. Gibbs scowls. "Run the prints! Call me when you get a hit!"

"We.. already did, Boss." Tony's speaking.

"And? Don't beat around-"

"McGee. It was his fingerprints. We've managed to scrape oil from the footprints; Abby's going to run it for DNA now."

Gibbs hangs up and pulls into the parking space where McGee's car usually is. He heads out and into the apartment, using a spare key. He has a spare key for all of his agents' residences.

Inside, he hears noises of movement and quiet cursing, can see that the lights are on and the whole place is being ransacked. He whips out his gun, holding it at the ready, and clears each room until he reaches the bedroom, where he sees a man, dressed in dark jeans and a black hoodie, rummaging through things and putting them into a backpack.

"Freeze, NCIS!" Gibbs yells, aiming the gun at the man's back.

The man freezes, dropping the things he was holding. He whispers out a weak, shaky "No," staring at the wall. He speaks, voice deep and panicked. "D-Don't shoot. Please.. go away."

"Go away? Go _away_? You are in the home of my _dead agent_, wrecking everything and stealing his things! I will not go away. Very slowly, put your hands on your head," he hisses, stepping forward.

The man does as he's told, shaking. "Please.. You don't want to see my face."

"Oh, I think I do," Gibbs says, voice loaded with anger. "Turn around."

The man shakes his head. "Don't make me do this, I beg y-"

"Turn AROUND!" Gibbs yells, and he can see the guy visibly cringe.

"I'm so sorry," the man whispers, turning around slowly-until Gibbs finally sees the face of the man.. the face he knows all too well. "I'm so sorry, Boss."

Gibbs nearly drops his gun as he stares at the man. "Muh.. _McGee_?"


	4. Chapter 4

Gibbs stares at the man, blinking repeatedly, now sure that this is a trick his mind is playing on him-McGee is dead, he touched the body himself.

"Boss.. there were so many times.. I tried to tell you. I wanted to tell you, I was.. I was afraid.." McGee lowers the hoodie, the light better revealing his face.

"You're dead," Gibbs says breathlessly, gun hanging at his side. "You're dead, you're not McGee.."

"I-I am, Boss. Gibbs. It's me. I promise.. it's really me."

"How? How can you be here? You're dead! Did someone break another damn mirror?"

McGee frowns uneasily, sitting on his bed. "You know, now. I have to tell you." He looks up at Gibbs, who is still near hyperventilating, trying to figure out what's going on. "Boss.. sit down."

"Sit down?" Gibbs stares at McGee. "Would you mind telling me how you're here and not in autopsy with Ducky right-"

"Boss, sit DOWN!" McGee yells, shutting up Gibbs instantly-McGee had never_ dared_ to speak to him in that manner.

Gibbs stares at McGee, who looks nervous, frustrated and.. well, nervous. Nervous piled on top of nervous. He cautiously walks over and sits on McGee's bed next to him, but with two feet between them.

"I.. am going to explain this to you. It won't be easy to understand. I'm sorry I didn't tell you before. I.. I was worried you would think I was crazy, have me off the team for mental instability. Really, Boss, I'm sorry I didn't tell you before, every time I tried to get up the courage, I-"

"McGee, got a point?" Gibbs says, staring at McGee with a prying look in his eyes. "Please, tell me."

McGee nods. "For hundreds of years, I have walked the earth, searching for an answer. Some way to free myself from the curse. Long, long, long ago.. I made a wish. I had just lost my wife.. she was taken from me, from our home. I prayed, pleaded, wished that I could not die, so I could search and search until I found her." he pauses, shaking his head. "When I finally found her, she was old and had remarried and had many children." He frowns and shakes his head, body slumping where he sits.

"I was still young, still appearing the age of thirty. I have tried, since then, many times; just to die. I have wished, prayed for death; I have tried offering everything to all the gods to take this blessing they had given me.. this curse that it has become.. off of me." He looks up at Gibbs, tears in his eyes. "In a hundred years, Gibbs.. I will still be here. Everyone that I know will die. I have to leave.. before it happens. I can't stay. I can never stay long, anywhere."

Gibbs stares at McGee, not sure whether to believe this fantastic tale or not. His McGee, their McGee, hundreds of years old? It can't be. Yet, his dead agent is sitting here and explaining an impossible tale to him. "McGee.." He trails off. "..McGee, how.. old are you?"

McGee smiles a bit, shaking his head. "I knew that would be one of the first questions." He gets up and opens a drawer in his dresser, reaching under his clothing for a thick, aged, leather-bound journal. He sits back down on his bed. "I've kept track with this." he opens it up to reveal the first page. On the top, in carefully-written script, is a date.

**_November 15, 1145_**

Below it are numbers. Starting from 1 and going up and up. McGee flips the pages until he gets to the last number. 855. He looks up at Gibbs and points to that number. "For every birthday that I have, the number counts up one more time. This was my last birthday. This year, I'll be eight hundred and fifty-six years old." He looks back down at the book, staring at it as Gibbs does the same, looking back and forth between McGee and the book.

"Eight.." Gibbs' voice cracks and goes silent for a moment; he clears it and begins speaking again. "Eight hundred..? 855?"

"Yeah, Boss." McGee looks up at Gibbs' face, the stunned, thoughtful, and curious expression; he smiles. "Now do you understand why I didn't tell you?"

Gibbs nods, quickly remembering to add words. "I do." He looks at the book, shaking his head. "855. All of these years. You've seen so much. You could tell more stories than Ducky."

McGee can't help it; he starts sniggering, then laughing at the joke. "I think I might start doing that."

"Oh, wouldn't I love to see the look on his face when you start.." he trails off, a frown surfacing. "But McGee.. you're dead."

"Boss, I thought we established-"

"To everyone else."

"..Oh. Damn." McGee sighs and lays back on the bed, almost comically. "I want to go back to NCIS. More than anything. How? _Everyone _knows I've died."

"Maybe.. it wasn't you, but a lookalike, that was impersonating you, trying to infiltrate NCIS-and was killed before any damage could happen to the agency."

"Oh! Like a doppelganger," McGee says, his face brightening.

"..Honestly, what the hell_ is_ a doppelganger?"

Before McGee can answer, they hear a "Clear" from Tony in the kitchen, not far from the bedroom. "Shit! McGee, hide!"

Just before Tony enters, Gibbs closes McGee into the closet, sighing and looking pissed. "Nothing. There's nothing to help us."

"Boss? Why didn't you answer your phone?" Tony steps aside for Ziva to enter as he looks at Gibbs, who walks toward them.

"I was searching for information," he answers, and Tony furrows his brows.

"By.. wrecking the place?"

"Upset. I was upset, it got outta hand. I'll meet you back at NCIS tomorrow, I'll be here a little longer, then I'm going home."

"Gibbs.. are you sure?" Ziva looks at Gibbs, then the closet, then at Gibbs again, as if to say, "Are you alone and safe?"

"Yeah, I'm sure. You two go home too; you need the rest."

Tony looks at Gibbs, turns to look at McGee's apartment; then gives a quick "'Kay, Boss" before heading out.

Ziva readies her weapon and heads for the closet, still a little suspicious.

McGee, who can see-and see the gun pointed right at him, holds his breath and stays completely still-but both he and Ziva jump as Gibbs yells.

"Ziva! Go home!" Gibbs glares at her, motioning for the door, walking out of the room with her. "I want to be alone for a while. Got it?"

"..Yes, Gibbs. Understood." Ziva turns and heads out, closing the door behind her, Tony already gone.

Gibbs breathes a sigh of relief, heading into the bedroom where McGee is waiting for him.

"Well, McGee, now what?"


	5. Chapter 5

Gibbs is at work again the next day, but his plan is well-formulated. McGee has decided to explain to his coworkers, whereas Gibbs will explain to Vance afterward. ..Somehow.

As soon as everyone is in and settled, Gibbs' cell phone rings; McGee. Gibbs listens for a minute to McGee's information, relaying it when he hangs up. "Dead officer, Rock Creek Park." He gets up and gets his things, grinning once his back is to the rest of his team.

* * *

"Where's the officer?" Tony asks as Gibbs drives the van into a rather secluded area of the park that most people do not come to.

"We walk from here," is Gibbs' answer; "But we wait for Ducky and Palmer."

Sure enough, five minutes later, the MEs arrive, Palmer having been doing better with his wrist.

"Good, everyone is here." Gibbs looks around, and his cell phone tweedle-dees. He looks at the text message and nods. "Everyone, I have news. It's strange, but you will love it. Promise ya."

"..You brought us out here to meet girls?" Tony says hopefully, but earns a Gibbs head-slap from Ziva.

"First things first. Everyone sit down." Gibbs looks at the others as Jimmy sits.. but he is the only one. "Everyone, sit!" Gibbs barks, causing Tony and Ziva to sit-but Ducky just frowns.

"Jethro, what is it?" His eyes widen as he realizes what this strange event could be. {PTSD..} He walks toward Gibbs, who walks up to him.

"Duck, please. Trust me on this. I'm not crazy," he whispers to Ducky, who frowns in worry before sitting next to the others.

Gibbs walks in front of the group and begins speaking. "November 15th, year eleven hundred forty-five. A young man was born and, reaching the age of thirty, was given immortality." He pauses in his speech, watching everyone's expression turn to confusion.

"This young man still walks the earth to this very day, forever the age of thirty. He can be killed, but he resurrects like a phoenix from its ashes."

McGee grins at that last part; he really liked it. He hadn't thought of that.

"Jethro," Ducky starts in a warning voice.

"That young man is Timothy McGee, who was shot and killed in our midst. We watched him die, and while Ducky was out of autopsy, he returned and left for home, where he planned on leaving us all."

"Jethro, I think that's enough-"

"However, I managed to talk him out of it last night," Gibbs finishes. "Here he is." He waits for McGee to walk out from behind some random tree.

..And waits.

"Jethro, I think you need to rest for a bit," Ducky says as he stands. "Would you like me to drive you home?"

As Ziva and Tony exchange worried glances with each other, Gibbs growls.

"Hey, McGee! Get out here!"

"Hey, Boss.. maybe Ducky's right. Maybe you need to get some rest. We.. we did just lose McGee.."

"He's not lost!" He pauses, looking around at the woods. "Maybe he is." He cups his hands around his mouth and hollers out. "MCGEE!"

Ducky pulls a sedation syringe from his medical kit and approaches Gibbs. "Jethro, please get in the car. I will make sure you are safe and relaxed."

Gibbs spots the syringe and grabs it right from Ducky's hand. "Don't call me crazy, Duck, please. I saw him. I spoke with him last night, this morning.. he sent me a goddamn text message!" He fumbles for his cell phone while the team watches on in sadness.

While the others are watching what they believe is a mental breakdown, Palmer catches sight of something coming towards them in the woods. "Doctor!" He points to that direction, hurrying back towards the group in case it's danger.

Gibbs whips his head to look at it, the panicked expression slowly vanishing. "Mc-McGee?"

McGee steps out, causing nearly everyone to soil themselves. "I'm sorry, really sorry boss; I had to.. to go. Then I realized I was in poison ivy and I learned that if you use this certain plant on poison ivy it lessens-"

"PROBIE?" Tony suddenly yells, taking a step back. "Probie, is that you? Holy SHIT!" A colorful string exits his mouth, mixed in with similar exclamations from the night before-You're alive? How? Who? You're really immortal? How old are you? Holy_ hell_ man!

Ziva has had her hand on her Star of David pendant, praying in Hebrew, staring at McGee.

Ducky steps forward to inspect McGee, be sure that this really is their McGee, and not some imposter that's leading them on.

Palmer.. just kind of stands there. After a little while, he turns and gets into the medical van, closes the door and sits in the darkness, huddling himself.

"How, Timothy?" Ducky is the first to speak after Tony's outburst.

"Really.. long story," he says, face showing that he didn't want to explain it right now. "Basically, wishing for immortality that I've since wished would be taken away." He sighs.

"But.. but McGee! You're _immortal_! You can't die! That's AWESOME!" Tony, of course.

"No! Dammit Tony, you don't get it! We discussed this before!" McGee yells angrily, shaking everyone out of their stupor. "It's not a GIFT, it's not a BLESSING. It's a goddamn curse!"

"McGee.." Ziva starts in an attempt to calm the other man.

"No! He doesn't realize what it's_ like_! Everyone you know, everyone you love, will DIE while you keep on going. You guys are gonna get old and die-and I'll still be thirty-damn-years-old!" He glares at Tony, tears starting to form in his eyes. "You get it? I've lost everyone, and I'm going to lose you too!"

Ziva walks forward to take McGee's hands in her own. "I am sorry," she whispers, "that you have to deal with this all the time." She looks into his eyes, his own showing very little anger-mostly aching, suffering.

"I just want to die," he says with a sigh, hanging his head. "Forever."

"Now, Tim.." Ducky walks up to McGee, frowning slightly. "I've lost many friends and family members in my life. I know how it must feel for you, for it to happen time and again." He makes sure McGee is looking into his eyes. "You, my friend, are a legacy. You can carry on the memories of so many great people that have come and gone before you. In that sense, they never actually die. They live on, through you."

McGee nods. "I know, Ducky. But.. I just get tired. Of living." He turns and walks over to the NCIS van, sliding into the backseat, a tired expression on his face.

Gibbs watches McGee get into the backseat of the van, his own heart sinking at his expression. {We all know his secret. The secret he'd carried so heavy in his heart, for so long.} "I'm taking McGee home. The rest of you, back to work with Duck and Palmer." He heads for the van, nobody challenging his halfhearted orders.

* * *

Once in the van and on the way, Gibbs speaks. "McGee?"

"Yeah Boss."

"What will you do now?"

McGee sighs and looks out the window at the passing trees; nature always did comfort him. "I don't know."

"Whaddyou want to do?"

"NCIS." It comes out automatically, surprising himself a bit. "I really like working with the team. Everyone there."

Gibbs smiles. "Then you're working at NCIS."

"But, Boss.. everyone knows I've died. I mean.. a bunch of people already saw the body. You did too."

An eyebrow raises on Gibbs' face. "And you know this how?"

"I was.. awake.. just before you came in. I needed to heal before I fully.. came back, y'know." He grins sheepishly. "I heard what you said."

Gibbs looks at the man through the rear-view mirror, staring at him.. but can't help a smile appearing on his face. "Damn, McGee. Well, we'll just bring you back in and see what happens. It would help if you came up with a story. A good one is that it was a practical joke. Lotta people would hate you for a while for it; but it could work. That or there was a mix-up with bodies like our original idea-"

"Gotta say I like the second one better." McGee nods. "Yeah, that one." He scratches at his arm absent-mindedly. "Can.. we go to NCIS now?" {I really miss Abby.}

"Y'sure you're ready?"

McGee grins. "'Course, Boss."


	6. Chapter 6

Gibbs walks off the elevator just like normal. And, just like normal, McGee follows him. Heads turn, though, and McGee can hear the chatter. He looks around nervously, Gibbs stopping as McGee stops. He announces to everyone what had 'really' happened: Some unlucky bastard impersonated McGee after kidnapping him, ended up getting himself shot at a crime scene. Gibbs and his team had managed to find McGee at his apartment, tied up.

That seemed to sate everybody, and McGee looks up at Gibbs, eyes asking if he can go see Abby now. At the subtle nod, McGee heads for the elevator to see Abby.

Tony and Ziva are downstairs now, after getting McGee's text, trying to prep Abby for what's about to happen. They're not sure what to do; mostly, Tony's chatting up with Abby her thoughts on immortality, and Abby's just being.. annoyed. She just wants to be left alone, right now.

So as the door to her lab opens and she sighs, she does not expect to see McGee as she turns around. She stares at him with a loud gasp, her eyes opening wide as her mouth hangs open, at a loss for words.

McGee speaks for her, walking forward and taking her hands in his own. He lifts them up to chest-level and smiles softly. "Abby, I've wanted for so long.. to ask if you'd like to have dinner with me."

She stares at him, looks at the others-who, on cue, leave the room, not before Tony gives McGee a wink-leaving Abby alone with him. She looks back at McGee, eyes watering, a sad smile crossing her face. "I've waited for so long, Tim.. if only you were real." She pulls her hand away, one covering her eyes, as she turns to her office to break into another fit of tears.

McGee's hands still stay the same way for a minute before he closes his eyes, hands dropping to his sides. His heart threatens to crack in two; he takes a deep breath and walks to Abby, who is sitting in her office chair, hugging Bert while staring at the photo of him on her desk.

"Abby, I am real. I am here for you. I.. I came back, and I want to be with you." He kneels down next to her, her eyes locking with his. "Abby.. I love you."

Abby stares at McGee, wiping away tears which are only replaced by more. "Oh, McGee, please stop haunting me and let me be." She turns to face the other way and he sighs.

"I promise you Abby, I am real." He looks behind him; there is nobody else in the lab. He takes a deep breath and gets up the gusto, leaning in.

With a soft touch to her cheek, he brings his head to hers, pausing to breathe her in before touching their lips together. Her soft, warm lips fill him with a heavenly glow; the touch of his lips on hers awakens her immediately. She pulls away, looking at McGee, who to her, looks like an angel to save her. She sniffles away her tears and leaps into his arms, hugging him tightly before meeting him in another kiss-this one, filled with emotion; gentle and lovingly.

Gibbs spots McGee from the lab entrance with a grin. {Bout time, kid.} He turns to head off, hands in pockets, in a much better mood now.

* * *

"Promise you won't leave again?" Abby peers into McGee's eyes, her own fiery.. but with insecure fear in there, as well. She had lost him recently, after all.

"I promise, Abby. I can't leave you, ever." The two are sitting together on her desk; he kisses her forehead gently. "I.. want to tell you something. Gibbs, Tony, Ziva, Ducky and Jimmy know." He pauses, making sure he has her full attention. "I'm immortal."

Abby stares at him, furrows her brows and stares some more; before finally standing up abruptly, walking to the doorway. With her back to him, she speaks. "Immortal?"

"Yes. I'll stay 30 years old.. forever. Even.. as all of my friends age. ..Even as you do." His voice trails into a whisper as he lets her soak this in.

She sighs and shakes her head. "I don't know what exactly happened.. but there's no such thing as immortal, McGee."

He winces at the use of his last name again. "Abby, I'm not making this up. I'm 855 years old.. 856 this year."

"I don't believe it." She turns and looks back at him, expression a mix of disappointment and love. "McGee.. please tell me the truth. What happened?"

McGee stutters, standing up. "A-Abby, that is the truth. I swear to you. I'm immortal. I can die, but I don't stay dead." He reaches for her, but she shies away.

"No! McGee, nobody is immortal!" She shakes her head, refusing to believe it.

"I guess.. I'll have to prove it to you, won't I?" He frowns. McGee pulls out his concealed knife, taking in a shaky breath. "Rule number 9." He puts the blade to his throat, sliding it across just as Abby screams out. Soon, he's hearing Abby screaming for Gibbs, then trying to stop McGee's bleeding.

"No! No! Nonononono! Tim! McGeeeeee! I-I believe you! Please, no! D-Don't leave me a-again! Please don't leave me..."

McGee chokes, shivering as the warmth leaves him. "This-this isn't-bad way-die, y'know. I..I.. died.. this before..." Just after these words leave his mouth, Gibbs runs in, tailed by Tony and Ziva.

"Shit, McGee! Why'd you do this!" Gibbs knows they can't save McGee, and can only hope that McGee really, really is immortal, and just not on his 9th life.

"Back.. soon... promise.." McGee murmurs, the life slipping from him. Soon, he is silent, a pool of blood around him, his unmoving body.

"McGee.. dammit McGee!" Abby whines, bringing a fist down on his stomach-only to jump back when McGee jumps a bit, making an 'erf' sound. "M..McG..."

A moan escapes McGee's lips as the knife wound heals before their eyes, McGee's skin slowly gains color as the blood replenishes itself. Soon, he begins breathing, heavy at first, but soon levels out. "Haaa.. told you I'd be back." He looks at Abby from his position on the floor, on his back with a dumb grin.

Abby's hands form fists and she trembles a bit. "You're really immortal?"

"I am," McGee confirms.

"Good, then I can do this." She sends a fast, powerful punch to his stomach, right in front of everyone, causing him to fold in half with a loud groan, whine, and a 'Whydadothaaaaat?'. "THAT is for scaring me! Don't ever do that AGAIN!"

"Hey, Probie, if we get into any tight spots, maybe you should be the bait. After all, we can actually die. Oh, and did I mention, when we die, we don't come back?"

"Rub it in why don't you?" McGee groans, still holding his stomach.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't.. mean it like that.."

McGee sits up, groaning, gives a little nod. "I know." He stands up, getting a hug from Abby once he's fully up. His face reddens a bit at this; he looks at Tony and grins.

"Oh McGee, I can't stay mad at you. I'm sorry. Just don't_ scare_ me like that!"

"I'm sorry, Abby. I won't do it again." He sneaks a kiss to her cheek just as Palmer walks in.

Palmer spots everybody there, McGee and Abby in each other's arms, the pool of blood on the floor by a bloody knife, and swallows. "Uh, Agent-Agent Gibbs." He hands Gibbs a folder, looks at the scene again, and then at the amused expression on Gibbs' face.

"Relax, Palmer. He's still the McGee we know."

Palmer nods at this. He thinks it over for a moment; it settles in and he smiles. "Welcome back, McGee," he says, and McGee faces him with a grin.

"Thanks, Palmer. I'm here to stay."

"Not if you don't quit loafing around and get back to work!" Gibbs startles everyone, but they catch his half-grin. However, none of them take it in seriousness, due to the grin. He looks around, and shakes his head.

"No, really. Move!"


End file.
